Projects per year
Abstract
The toxicity of metals to microorganisms is highly correlated with the type of metal used. However, the differences in the resistance mechanisms of filamentous fungi to multiple metals remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the responses of Aspergillus niger to three toxic metals, i.e., Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+. Fungal growth and metabolism indices showed that A. niger had a higher tolerance to Pb2+ (>1000 mg L-1) than to Cu2+ (300 mg L-1) and Cd2+ (50 mg L-1). An appropriate Pb2+ concentration (<500 mg L-1) stimulated fungal growth and metabolic activity, whereas Cd2+ and Cu2+ stress showed continuously negative influences on fungal physiological parameters, such as biomass and secretion of oxalic acid. A. niger responded to Pb stress by constructing a new border layer around its cell wall. This pathway was also confirmed using RNA-seq analysis, i.e., the gene encoding cell wall α-1,3-glucan synthase was upregulated. This upregulation subsequently promoted the production of polysaccharides, which are the main components that support fungal cell walls. In contrast, the expression of genes encoding both AAA family ATPase and efflux pump antibiotic resistance proteins for Cd2+ and Cu2+ was significantly downregulated. Therefore, these findings elucidated the relatively complete fungal responses to different metal stresses.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 130691 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Hazardous Materials |
Volume | 446 |
Early online date | 28 Dec 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 28 Dec 2022 |
Keywords
- A. niger
- Metal toxicity
- Physiological response
- Cell morphology change
- RNA-seq analysis
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Dive into the research topics of 'A contrast of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) toxicities to Aspergillus niger through biochemical, morphological, and genetic investigations'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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COG3: The Geology, Geometallurgy and Geomicrobiology of Cobalt Resources Leading to New Product Streams (joint with Natural History Museum and Universities of Manchester, Bangor, Exeter, Loughborough and Southampton and Industrial Partner)
Natural Environment Research Council
1/05/15 → 31/03/21
Project: Research